Thank you for supporting the work of St. Vincent de Paul Society

A message from St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Raphael: Here's how the Giving Tree looked on Monday evening. Thank you, St. Raphael parishioners, for your generous and loving spirit. This is just beautiful! Your generosity helps people in our community. You can still bring gifts and place them under the tree through Monday, December 15. If you'd rather give gift certificates or checks, just drop them in the St. Vincent de Paul box next to the Giving Tree.

Midnight Mass -- 11:30 p.m. 12.25.13

Jane Winstead

Children's Christmas Eve Mass -- 4 p.m. 12.24.13

Photos by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael Cub Scout Santa Breakfast

Photos by Jane Winstead 

St. Raphael parishioners gathered in the Parish Center for the Cub Scout Santa Breakfast recently.

St. Vincent de Paul Giving Tree ready

Photo by Jane Winstead

St. Raphael parishioners flocked to the Christmas Giving Tree before and after masses this weekend, choosing ornament tags for gifts for needy children in our community. You can participate in the St. Vincent de Paul project by taking an ornament and returning the specified gift, wrapped and with the ornament attached. Gifts should be returned by Sunday, December 16. Please drop gift certificates and checks into the St. Vincent de Paul Poor Box next to the Giving Tree. St. Raphael parishioners are always generous for the Giving Tree.

Christmas in July!

Santa Breakfast 12.12.10

Did you know that it is Christmas in July? Well, that's what I have been hearing on the TV commercials lately. With all this talk about Christmas in July, it has put me in the mood to go through all those photos that I took in December 2010. So, now I am sharing them with you on this last day in July. I hope you make the time to look at them and maybe you might see a photo of yourself or a loved one. I hope you enjoy looking at all the photos and the different events. It might bring back memories or maybe if you were not able to attend, this will give you an idea of what you missed.

-- Jane Winstead

Children's Christmas Mass 12.24.10


Christmas Eve Mass 12.24.10


Christmas Midnight Mass 12.24.10


• Below are photos from Palm Sunday, too. Easter in July?

Pope Benedict's Christmas message

In his Urbi et Orbi message delivered Christmas day, Pope Benedict XVI reminded the faithful and all men and women of good will everywhere that only those, who are open to love are wrapped in the light of Christmas.

At Christmas, a reflection of family

Adoration of the Shepherds, 1622, Gerard van Honthorst.

Christmas is a special time for families. Loved ones gather to participate in the time honored rituals of the season – sharing meals, giving gifts, worshiping God and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, His son.

It is also a time for reflection and for keeping in touch with family members who are far away. For many years now, parishioner Bob Musselman has composed a Christmas letter for family and friends.

These letters are, first and foremost, summaries of a family's progress over more than a decade. But they also contain a certain spirituality that transcends their immediate accounting of the events of a 12-month period. They are, perhaps, a reminder of the fleeting precious moments in all families and of the special focus on families at this time of the year.

Bob's wife, Julie, shares those Christmas letters on her blog, A Catholic Home Journal. Bob and Julie Musselman have six children.

Also, she shares some of the process of preparing St. Raphael for Christmas, a family activity in preparation for the Holy Family.

Photo: The Musselman family on an outing at Steinhatchee.

What all those names in Matthew's gospel mean

"... Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz..." Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-Z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z

By Lynn Denson
Ever wonder if Father is trying to put us to sleep with this Gospel reading at Christmas Eve Mass? (Matthew 1:1-25) He's not! Here are a few interesting tidbits that I learned in Our Jeff Cavin’s Bible Study on the book of Matthew on this reading that you will hear Friday evening.

* The author of Matthew's gospel is writing primarily to a Jewish audience who is expecting the Messiah to come from the line of King David. This lineage shows that even through the Babylonian exile, the line of King David was preserved.

* To Jewish readers, numbers are very important and all numbers have meaning assigned to them. The number seven is the number of completion and fullness.

* Matthew groups this blood line into three groups of 14 generations (thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is 14, from David to the Babylonian exile is 14 and from the exile to Christ is 14 generations)

* So three groups of 14 generations when divided in half, gives you six sets of seven generations that have passed.

* Now begins the seventh set of seven generations with the birth of Christ. Christ is the seventh seven, or the Completion and fullness of time! A Jewish audience would understand the significance of this.

* Notice that only four women are listed in the genealogy before Mary is listed. They are Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba) These four women were "shady ladies."

* Tamar pretended to be a prostitute, Rahab was a harlot in Jericho, Ruth was a Moabite (Moabites had hostile relations with the Israelites) and Bathsheba had an affair with King David.

* Why include these women of questionable background? God is showing us the inclusion of sinners into the people of God. God can make good out of ALL things no matter how bad it may seem to us.

Merry Christmas! Hope you and your family have a wonderful 2011!

Parishioner Lynn Denson wrote this for the Saint Raphael Messenger. She participates in Wednesday Morning Bible Study, which meets at 9 a.m. in Room B. All parishioners are welcome to join the group.

Photo: David by Michelangelo

The Gospel for Christmas Day

December 25, 2010
The Nativity of the Lord

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

• Read the first and second readings and the Responsorial Psalm

– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Gospel for Christmas Eve -- Midnight Mass

December 25, 2010
The Nativity of the Lord

Luke 2:1-14

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus
that the whole world should be enrolled.
This was the first enrollment,
when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.
And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth
to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem,
because he was of the house and family of David,
to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.
While they were there,
the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.
She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields
and keeping the night watch over their flock.
The angel of the Lord appeared to them
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were struck with great fear.
The angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid;
for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy
that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David
a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you:
you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel,
praising God and saying:
“Glory to God in the highest
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

• Read the first and second readings and the Responsorial Psalm

– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The Gospel for Christmas Eve - Vigil Mass

December 24, 2010
The Nativity of the Lord

Matthew 1:1-25

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac,
Isaac the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah,
whose mother was Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron,
Hezron the father of Ram,
Ram the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon,
Nahshon the father of Salmon,
Salmon the father of Boaz,
whose mother was Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed,
whose mother was Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse,
Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon,
whose mother had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam,
Rehoboam the father of Abijah,
Abijah the father of Asaph.
Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat,
Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,
Joram the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham,
Jotham the father of Ahaz,
Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh,
Manasseh the father of Amos,
Amos the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers
at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel,
Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,
Zerubbabel the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim,
Eliakim the father of Azor,
Azor the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim,
Achim the father of Eliud,
Eliud the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan,
Matthan the father of Jacob,
Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Thus the total number of generations
from Abraham to David
is fourteen generations;
from David to the Babylonian exile,
fourteen generations;
from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,
fourteen generations.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill
what the Lord had said through the prophet:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,
which means “God is with us.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.
He had no relations with her until she bore a son,
and he named him Jesus.

• Read the first and second readings and the Responsorial Psalm

– United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

A Christmas message from Bishop Lynch

2010 Christmas ornaments on sale

Photos by Jane Winstead

Jonathan Campbell, director of youth ministry, is all smiles with Melissa Jenner (left) and Bradley Scarpino hoping you'll buy a 2010 St. Raphael Christmas ornament. Click photos to enlarge them.

The St. Raphael Youth Ministry is offering a special annual Christmas ornament that's just right for the season. The special ornament is inscribed with the name of the parish and the year. If you purchase the $20 ornament, you will be helping the Youth Ministry raise money for its summer trip to Steubenville, Ohio, for the Summer Youth Conferences. Watch for the display in the narthex.

Making a difference with The Giving Tree

Photo by Jane Winstead

Parishioner Tara Kipp chooses ornaments from The Giving Tree with her daughters Trinity and Mina. | Click on photos to enlarge.

The tags on The Giving Tree tell the stories of hard times, of too few dollars to keep the lights on or the water flowing, or to keep a roof over the family’s heads.

They tell of little girls and little boys who wouldn’t have anything come Christmas morning if it weren’t for the generosity of strangers.

The tags tell of the need and St. Raphael parishioners respond. Traditionally, St. Raphael parishioners have supported the work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul throughout the year, but are especially generous at this time. It is the way Catholics help the poor.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a 177-year-old organization created to provide financial, material, educational and spiritual support for those in need.

Italian scholar Frédéric Ozanam founded the organization with five other students in Paris in 1833. He began studying at the Sorbonne in 1831 and soon became the Catholic “voice” in a city where poverty reigned. Ozanam contended that the role of the Catholic Church was to help the poor with clothing and food.

He and fellow students put their beliefs into action. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Notre Dame de Paris in 1997.

In Pinellas, the Society has been active since 1931. Local Vincentians visit thousands of homes as well as prisons, hopsitals and nursing homes to provide help for those in need.

And so, The Giving Tree stands tall in the narthex, festooned with ornaments.

The Giving Tree ornaments are tags telling the needs of local people who can be helped by the generosity of St. Raphael parishioners. Already gifts are appearing under the tree, beautifully wrapped with the appropriate tag attached.

Gifts are still needed.

Want to help?: Please take an ornament off and return the specified gift, wrapped, and with the ornament attached to the outside by Sunday, December 12. Please drop gift certificates or checks into the St. Vincent de Paul Box next to The Giving Tree.

For CCW, a Christmas Breakfast –– and more

The Christmas season is always so busy and this one is no exception ––especially for the St. Raphael chapter of the Council of Catholic Women. The annual catered December CCW Christmas Breakfast is on Saturday, December 11 but there’s more than eating on the agenda.

It’s about giving. The CCW is collecting gifts for the Shore Acres Nursing Home residents.

Nursing home residents need shirts, sweaters, robes, slippers, lotion and other clothing and toiletry items. Participants should bring a wrapped gift with a tag marked with the item and its size.

The goal is to have enough gifts so that each of the more than 100 residents receives at least one present.

There also will be a member gift exchange at the breakfast. Participation is optional but if you want to be included bring a $10 gift to be exchanged.

All women in the parish are welcome at the CCW event. Make reservations for the event as soon as possible. Parishioner and CCW member Celeste Brown is cooking so you know the meal will be delicious.

Send your check for $7 per person (payable to CCW) to Louise Barrrett, 820 24th Avenue N, St. Petersburg FL 33704 or drop it in an envelope marked “CCW Christmas Breakfast” and put it into the collection this Sunday, December 5.

See St. Raphael students in The Nutcracker

Students from St. Raphael Catholic School are performing in this year's presentation of The Nutcracker, the traditional Christmas ballet. All parishioners are invited to attend the show.

The students include Abby Fahey, Selma Henricksson, Skyler Krampitz, Mariana Monforte, Stella Monforte and Mia Newsom. They have spent many hours rehearsing for their performances.

The Nutcracker will be presented Dec. 9-11 by the St. Petersburg Ballet Company and the Academy of Ballet Arts at the Historic Palladium Theater in downtown St. Petersburg.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. Proceeds benefit the Academy of Ballet Arts. Tickets can be purchased online at the Academy of Ballet Arts or at the door.

The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet originally staged in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1892. It features the music of composer Pyotr Tchaikovsky (left), whose well known works are favorites of classical concertgoers everywhere.

The Nutcracker tells the story of a little girl’s dream on the night before Christmas.

In it, gingerbread soldiers battle mice led by the Mouse King. Toy soldiers and dolls come alive to enter the fray, the Nutcracker is transformed into a Handsome Prince, the Sugar Plum Fairy dances and sweets from around the world delight the senses.

Though it was not very popular when it was first performed, The Nutcracker gained considerable attention and following after the renowned choreographer George Balanchine staged it in New York in 1954. (Balanchine also was from St. Petersburg, Russia.)

Music from The Nutcracker has been used in television commercials from Cadbury, IHOP, GMC Sierra, Garmin GPS, and Planters Mr. Peanut. Movies such as Home Alone and The Santa Clause, and TV programs like The Simpsons and numerous other animated shows have featured music from The Nutcracker, too.

Alastair Macauley, dance critic for The New York Times, called The Nutcracker “an American institution.”

It's beginning to look a lot like Santa Breakfast time

Make plans now to attend the 11th annual Santa Breakfast right after 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, December 12 in the Parish Center.

Cub Scout Pack 219 will prepare and serve pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice and coffee for the festive occasion.

Tickets are $6 for adults and children 12 and older and $3 for children under 12. Toddlers 2 years and younger are free.

A $25 donation will cover larger families with children. However, larger donations will be gratefully accepted if you feel generous. Proceeds will benefit local charitable organizations.

Breakfast will be served until noon.

There will be activities for children, including face painting and crafts. And, of course, there will be a visit from You Know Who, so bring your camera.

For tickets and reservations, e-mail taranewsom@hotmail.com or call (601) 918-7276.